


The Camellia and the Princess

by Saharhis



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, possible angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 17:16:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6713812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saharhis/pseuds/Saharhis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Growing up was difficult for Subaki; he had been raised to be the epitome of perfection in every act he did, and as a result, developed a complex that made him lament any moment he believed himself to be out of form, no matter how minor. The other members of the army often teased and insulted him for his lavish words and perceived arrogance, when in reality he was very lonely, having held himself to such an impossible standard for so many years and bearing the weight of considerable expectation. As a result, few chose to understand him, and even fewer chose to get close to him. </p>
<p>This is a budding love story between Subaki and Corrin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Camellia and the Princess

**Author's Note:**

> This ship seems so underloved :( Subaki is pretty great tbh. You can kinda consider this a character study too, or a headcanon, whichever. I always imagined that Corrin had a little bit of a jealous streak though even this may be extreme, but people do crazy things when they're in love huhu. The summary on this is a direct quote from the fic, but hey, it fits!

“Too far to the left…” The swinging of a naginata, glimmering in the sunlight, swirled the air as it cut, as if to bend the air to its will. The movements were graceful and elegant, the form was technically outstanding. Its wielder was a young knight, drenched in sweat, as he had been training privately for hours in the early morning sun.

“Too far forward…” He thought to himself as he returned to his original stance, beginning the training sequence again. He had been through this diligent training regiment for years prior to becoming a retainer to the lovely Princess Sakura, in fact his skill was one of the many things he was known for.

“Too slow! Much too slow.” He mumbled as the naginata slid from his hand to the soft soil beneath him, ending with a light clunk. He took a cloth from his pocket and wiped his brow before leaning the naginata on his shoulder and walking back to camp, thinking about his imperfect movements.

Growing up was difficult for Subaki; he had been raised to be the epitome of perfection in every act he did, and as a result, developed a complex that made him lament any moment he believed himself to be out of form, no matter how minor. The other members of the army often teased and insulted him for his lavish words and perceived arrogance, when in reality, he was very lonely, having held himself to such an impossible standard for so many years and bearing the weight of considerable expectation. As a result, few chose to understand him, and even fewer chose to get close to him.

He was raised privileged as Hoshidan nobility, and has worked diligently not to sully or tarnish their family name or legacy. He exudes charm, charisma, gentleness as well as strength on the battlefield, and is generally favored by those outside of the camp, especially other nobles, civilians and members of the royal court.

As he put away his weapon, a familiar face passes by, a polar opposite, someone whom exuded charm in his own way, though most often seemed unkempt, and was a considerable flirt. He was the retainer to Takumi, the elder brother to his own liege, Sakura. In many ways, he was one of Subaki's only friends.

“Subaki, you were training?” He asked quizzically, “It’s just now time for breakfast!”

“Good morning Hinata, it’s good to see that you’re awake and looking as scruffy as ever.” Subaki flashed a condescending smile at Hinata, the two often ribbed each other with cocky insults, though Hinata respected Subaki for his patience and skill not only on the battlefield, but also when it came to identifying with the other sex. Hinata had a definite weakness when it came to women; Oboro, Takumi’s other retainer, would often have to pull him away from any shops they were at before he blew their war chest on random weaponry or concoctions. He would often return with several months’ worth of wasted supplies even though he went with a shopping list, just because the shopkeeper was attractive. In Subaki’s case, all he had to do was flash a smile and the women were all over him.

“I just woke up, what do you expect?” Hinata yawned, his hand covering his mouth, a droopy look in his eyes.

“A gentleman should take better care of himself, starting with proper time maintenance.” Subaki smiled as Hinata looked on, “Starting with a bath first, then properly dressing yourself, and then you can have breakfast.”

“I’d rather eat first, I mean, I can do all that later.”

“Suit yourself; if you ever need my help with proper maintenance, you know where to find me.”

“Right right, now I’m going to chow down!” Hinata ran off as Subaki’s expression turned more solemn, his smile gone, and his eyes losing their luster as he headed towards the bathhouse. It was normally empty that time of the morning as the rest of the camp convened on the mess hall. While Subaki always enjoyed having breakfast with his liege, he did occasionally dine alone, especially when his training session ran late.

After bathing and properly dressing himself, he descended on the mess hall, as it was his day to prepare lunch for the army. The hall was empty of its patrons as the encampment was busy and alive with chatter. He had just moved behind the counter when the door opened, and Corrin entered the hall.

Corrin was a lovely woman in both looks and personality. She was the leader of their army and a Princess of Hoshido though marriage, though readily accepted as a sibling by the other four royals. Corrin was kidnapped at a very young age by Garon, King of Nohr, and raised as his own though she had recently chosen to take up arms with Hoshido as Nohr had used her as a catalyst to begin a devastating war with the once peace loving country. Corrin hadn't been with Hoshido very long but she had already made a lasting impact on all she had encountered, Subaki included. Her decision to forsake the only family she ever knew was a considerable source of grief and sadness for her, though rarely did she show it.

"Subaki, good morning!" She cheerfully exclaimed as she moved over the counter.

"Ah, Lady Corrin, what brings you here so early?" He asked.

"Are you on duty today?"

"For lunch, yes."

"Oh.." She said, quickly realizing her lateness had made her miss the breakfast line.

"If you're hungry I wouldn't mind preparing you something." He smiled.

"O-Oh no! I don't want to be a bother..." Corrin said apologetically as Subaki smiled softly at her, "It's no bother at all, Lady Corrin. What would you like?" Subaki's stomach rumbled slightly as they spoke, Corrin only smiling as Subaki's cheeks became flushed.

"Subaki... I thought we fixed this." Corrin teased.

"How ... embarrassing. This wasn't supposed to happen again." He said reflecting back to time shortly after they met when his stomach rumbled after a long training session. Being so consumed with perfection, he often neglected things such as hunger and fatigue, stating to simply never feel them. Since spending time with Corrin however, he became much more intuitive of his own surroundings and needs.

"You didn't have time to eat today, did you?" She smiled.

"Heh, no not exactly."

"Then have breakfast with me?" She asked sweetly as Subaki humbly complied. The pair made a quick breakfast consisting of traditional Hoshidan dishes, before sitting and enjoying their meal. Spending these small, quiet moments with her was something of a luxury as she was always surrounded by people, and her time always consumed. Being in the middle of a war left little time for fraternizing.

Several days passed as he and Corrin had minor interaction with one another during that time, though it was always pleasant. As such the days came and went normally, he would wake early and train privately before returning to camp, completing his daily duties as perfectly as possible. It would not take long for Subaki to start noticing things about her that he hadn't before, such as how deeply red her eyes were, how gently her long, snow white hair moved when she walked, or how sweet she smelled in their passing. This specific type of love was a foreign emotion for Subaki, and it wasn't one he quite understood though part of him always longed for it.

Subaki and Hana were standing at the armory; Corrin could be seen in the distance talking to another soldier, their conversation just out of earshot. Subaki's gaze was fixated on Corrin as she moved, his cheeks growing more flushed with every minute.

"You like her." Hana teased, elbowing Subaki's arm. She was a bit shorter than he was, Subaki easily being one of the tallest members of the army. He and Hana were close in the sense that they were both employed by Sakura, though not close enough to be considered friends worthy of sharing secrets or general bonding. In fact, their relationship was quite competitive, though overall respectful.

"Hana, don't be rude." He said sternly.

"I'm serious. You alllllways watch her whenever she's nearby!" She teased, "You've even asked to be deployed near her in battle! It's not that hard to see that you have a crush on her." Hana smirked, crossing her arms.

Perhaps there was truth to her words; Subaki hadn't known Corrin long, though he always felt an instant connection to her, a sort of bond that he had with no other. She was an uncommonly kind woman, full of vibrancy.

"Subaki!" Hana shouted, "Tell her."

"Tell her what?" He asked.

"... are you being daft on purpose?"

"Hm? Whatever do you mean Hana?" He smirked.

"Tell her you like her!" She stammered as Subaki remained silent. If he was to confess anything he knew the method of delivery would have to be perfect, though blatantly telling her out in the open was not the statement he wanted to make. In that respect, deciphering his own feelings toward her was difficult. It was true that he had never felt the same toward anyone else, though no other had made the attempt at truly getting to know him. His fixation on perfection and outward projection of faux-confidence made it difficult for others to approach him. Hana may have even chosen not to associate with him, had they not been comrades under Sakura.

"Subaki!" She shouted, loud enough to gain Corrin's attention, causing her to look over to them.

"Hana, please. Why are you so insistent about this?" He asked, an air of concern laced his voice as he turned to Hana, avoiding Corrin's gaze.

"It may do you some good, you know." She began, "Loving something besides yourself for once!"

Hana's words stung; It wasn't that Subaki loved himself fully, though he knew aspects of him were satisfactory. It was more that he _had_ to be that way, as to not disgrace his family name or receive any sort of harsh judgment. He had perfected his outward performance over the years. It was expected of him, and disappointment simply wasn't an option.

"I love plenty of other things," Subaki smirked, "Like, you for example." He teased as he bent over slightly, Hana's cheeks instantly flushed and her expression turned to one of shock.

"D-don't say things like that!" She said, pushing him away. He only laughed at her as Corrin walked over to them.

"Hello you two.." She started, Subaki looking to her with a soft, sweet smile and Hana attempting in vain to get the color out of her cheeks by calming herself down.

"Greetings, Lady Corrin." Subaki said.

"Hana? Are you alright?" Corrin asked quizzically.

"Fine! Just fine!" She grabbed a practice katana from the rack of weaponry behind them and quickly stammered away. Subaki attempted to hold in his laughter; teasing her was one of his many pleasures.

"Don't worry about her, Lady Corrin. She's just reacting to something I told her." He smiled.

"Oh? What did you say?"

"Hm? I told her I loved her," Corrin jolted in surprise at Subaki's sudden admission, "Teasingly, of course."

"So you don't love her then?" She asked.

"Not in a romantic sense." He nodded.

"...I see." Corrin's mood and tone turned rather sour.

"Is.. something wrong?"

"N-no, nothing. I have things I need to get to. Goodbye, Subaki." She said quickly as she turned from him, walking away. Subaki was surprised by her reaction; to him, teasing Hana this way was more commonplace and part of their daily banter. It was entirely possible that Corrin hadn't been around them enough to realize this was simply how they acted with one another, rather than him being cruel.

Corrin seemed to avoid Subaki for the next several weeks, purposefully deploying his unit far out of her line of sight in battles, and changing her daily routine in camp in order to avoid his. She successfully avoided him long enough to cause concern among other members of the encampment, all of which were perplexed by her sudden change in attitude and habit. Subaki noticed the change in her disposition as well.

Nights in the Hoshidan encampment were often bright, the sky clear and the moon beaming, illuminating all. Many times Corrin would walk through the woods to a quiet lake, watching as the moon's reflection ripple in the water. The moon was never bright and barely visible in Nohr, as the entire country had an air of desolation and darkness about it. Hoshido was such a stark contrast that she often found herself enamored with her surroundings, especially the moon.

That night would be different, as she sat by the lakeside, listening intently to the crickets and watching the lightning bugs dance, she was followed by Subaki who quietly walked up to her as she turned to meet his gaze. Her bright white hair was playing off the moonlight so beautifully, her deep eyes illuminated. She was stunning, and he was finding it difficult to breathe from the aching in his chest.

"You followed me...?" She asked quietly.

"Should I leave?"

".... No. It's alright." She returned to her original position, her back now to him.

"Lady Corrin....." He struggled to find his words, "May I ask... why.."

"Subaki, won't you have a seat?" She said casually. He agreed as he reluctantly sat beside her. "The moon is lovely, isn't it?"

"It is. You didn't get to enjoy it much in Nohr, did you?" He asked, thrilled by her decision to make small talk. At the very least she was speaking to him, and that made him happy.

"No. It never was this vibrant in Nohr." She sighed, "Subaki..."

"Yes, Lady Corrin?"

"I should apologize to you." She turned her head to him, his cheeks instantly flushed from the kindness in her voice and the deep longing in her eyes.

"W-what for?"

"For the way I've been acting toward you... I overreacted when you said you loved Hana..." She sighed.

"But that's.."

"I know, she explained that it's just how you two treat each other." She smiled. "I was relieved actually..."

"Oh?" He perked up.

Corrin moved closer to Subaki, twisting her body towards him and propping herself up with her arms. She closed her eyes and quickly gave him a soft, tender kiss, the feeling of which rushed through both of their bodies. It was then that he knew he was deeply in love with her, and she felt the same. He was surprised by her method of admission, though happy all the same.

"I really like you Subaki..." Corrin whispered as she broke the kiss, staring lovingly into his deep, burgundy eyes.

"Only like?" He smirked as he returned her kiss, deeper than the one she had given him.

"M-maybe a little more..." She smiled as she changed her position to sit closer to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. He took her hand in his, lacing their fingers.

Subaki felt true happiness with Corrin, as they complimented each other well. She was the only one who had willingly chosen to get close to him and perhaps try to understand his many inner workings. With her, he no longer felt that deep sense of loneliness that had plagued him for so long. To him, she was perfection in every sense of the word. 

**Author's Note:**

> Camellia meanings:   
>  White – White camellias mean several things. They can mean purity, the love between mother and child or mourning when used in funeral flowers. When presented to a man, a white camellia is thought to bring luck.  
>  Pink – Pink camellias symbolize longing.  
>  Red – Red camellias symbolize passion or desire.  
>  Red and Pink – Combing red and pink camellias expresses romantic love.


End file.
